Kaitiakitanga: Utilising Māori Holistic Conservation in Heritage Institutions

Abstract

It is imperative that heritage institutions deal with the legacies of colonialism within their collections, the way this material is retained, preserved, displayed and interpreted, and the impact that this will have on local and global audiences. Failing to do so risks such organisations being perceived as the beneficiaries of colonial violence, and acts as a barrier to the recruitment, empowerment and retention of minority ethnic and indigenous staff. Kaitiakitanga, drawn from the Māori view of the natural world and its stewardship, provides a sustainable and holistic means by which such issues can be understood and addressed. This paper explores the way in which the author has used his own heritage and experience to apply this philosophy to practical problems encountered in the heritage sector, both those arising from colonial legacies in institutions and collections, and those of a more general nature. By doing so, it is demonstrated that such an approach can be positively applied to practice across a range of activities, alongside existing procedures, to break down historic barriers and entrenched views, facilitating genuine and far-reaching change within the heritage sector.